Browsing Category

DIY

DIY: Paper Halloween Masks

10.22.2017

It’s no secret that we’re a little paper obsessed and the creative crew here at Elum loves a good DIY. With Halloween right around the corner we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get our paper-craft on. If you’re short on Halloween costume ideas we’ve got some quick and easy DIY paper Halloween mask ideas to help inspire you. Our team pooled together all of our crafting supplies and in less than two hours we were all covered in scraps of paper and hot glue gun strings, and had our very own paper Halloween mask masterpieces.

Elum Designs | DIY Paper Halloween MasksAfter gathering up various inspiration from around the web we created our very own templates for the masks. Most of them were made simply by cutting out and layering colored paper. We started with printing off a plain mask template to help with placement of the eyes on the various creations.

halloween-masks-3

“ALI” CAT:

Ali’s kitty cat came together by first folding a black sheet of construction paper in half and drawing out half of a cat silhouette. When she cut it out and unfolded it viola! a full black cat silhouette. She puuuurfected it by adding in all the details: cut paper for the inside of the ears, lashes and center of the face, a pom pom for the little pink nose and wispy feathers as the whiskers. Meeeoow.

Elum Designs | DIY Paper Halloween Masks

SHARK ATTACK:

Shannon’s great white shark was inspired by a DIY she came across on Pinterest. While the original version used a shoe box to create the boxy shark shape, Shannon made hers purely out of paper. Obviously when she put in on she looked totally fierce. The finishing touch of bedazzled blood makes this mask totally killer.

Elum Designs | DIY Paper Halloween Masks

PEACEFUL SWAN:

Sam is no ugly duckling in this homemade Swan mask. Inspired by artwork she created herself, first she sized the artwork to fit over her face and printed it. Then, used the plain mask template to determine the eye hole placement. The base mask shape was cut from a study heavy-weight paper and the details from colored construction paper and then layer together. To add some extra dimension she folded the leaves of the foliage before she attached them to the swan and used wooden sticks to hold up her cat tails.

Elum Designs | DIY Paper Halloween Masks

PRETTY  PREHISTORIC:

Olga outdid everyone with her 3 Dimensional triceratops mask. While at university in Belarus she took a class on creating 3 dimensional objects out of paper so she had the most experience of all of us in creating paper masterpieces. Like Sam, she created the base of the mask with a heavyweight cardstock and then layered colored paper over the base. She finished it off with some bedazzled bling. She created this one of a kind template totally from scratch and you can get your hands on it here!

Elum Designs | DIY Paper Halloween Masks

#EMOTIONAL:

Our social media guru Shana decided to channel her inner emotions by creating a flippable emoji mask. First, she cut her favorite emoji faces from paper. Then, she glued the faces back to back, leaving her with two sheets with a face on each side. After that, she punched a hole near the top of the faces and secured the hole with a metal grommet. She tied a string through the grommets of both masks and secured it at the top, then attached the mask to a wooden stick and proceeded to only respond to questions with emoji faces for the rest of the day. Download the face-sized emoji artwork here.

Elum Designs | DIY Paper Halloween Masks

DOWN, SET, HIKE!:

It’s no secret that Claire is the biggest football fan on our team so it was only fitting that she decided to transform herself into a rough-and-tumble football player. She was so committed her character she even wore her favorite football jersey to complete her transformation. You can download a template for Claire’s football mask here or if you aren’t in the mood to make this mask from scratch, you can find one just like it made of felt for sale on etsy.

Elum Designs | DIY Paper Halloween MasksWe were all pretty proud of the end result from our mask making session.

Elum Designs | DIY Paper Halloween Masks

Elum Designs | DIY Paper Halloween MasksOf course, no DIY party would be complete without champagne, which is why this crafting session also included apple cider mimosas to help get us in the fall state of mind. Get the recipe for these delicious autumn flavored drinks here.

Elum Designs | DIY Paper Halloween Masks

What your favorite of our Halloween mask creations? Have you ever made an amazing last minute Halloween costume? Tell us about it in the comments below!

#WeeklyWrapUp: DIY Birthday Beer Koozies

4.07.2017

We’re wrapping up our favorite birthday beverages in celebratory DIY  birthday beer koozies. They are a ridiculously easy way to personalize the gift of beer and make sure the birthday boy or girl is raising their can in style all night long.

Confetti Coated Birthday Beer Koozies:

Make the guest of honor feel like they’re being showed in confetti all night long with this super festive confetti coated koozie.

You Need:

Coat the koozie in white glue, roll in confetti and make sure it’s thoroughly covered. Let dry, shake off any loose pieces and fill in empty spots if necessary.

#WeeklyWrapUp: Birthday Beer Koozies

The Dapper Gent Birthday Beer Koozies:

For the discerning beer drinker, the dapper gent beer koozie is a reflection of the most sophisticated beer tasting palettes.

You Need:

Select your dapper costume stickers of choice and adhere to the koozie, add googly eyes (use extra adhesive, such hot glue if needed) and don’t forget to have them sip their beer with their pinky out.

#WeeklyWrapUp: Birthday Beer Koozies

Totally Lit Up Birthday Beer Koozies:

Get lit, literally and figuratively with this candle covered creation. Instead of making a wish after blowing out the candles they can make a wish after every beer they finish.

You Need:

  • Foam Beer Koozie
  • Colorful Birthday Candles
  • Foam Letter Stickers
  • Beer of Choice (we like Modern Times Fruitlands)
  • Strong Adhesive, such as super glue (don’t use hot glue, it will just melt the candle wax)
  • Optional: Small Clear or Yellow Plastic Rhinestones

Glue the colored candles around the base of the koozie. Adhere foam letters above the candles, glue rhinestones sporadically around the top line of the candles as their “flames.” Then make sure the birthday boy or girl follows the instructions on the koozie. **Disclaimer: Don’t actually light the candles (duh) because A.) it will probably melt the foam koozie and B.)  a flaming koozie will be really difficult for the recipient to hold.

#WeeklyWrapUp: Birthday Beer Koozies

Hoppy Birthday Beer Koozies:

Make it their hoppiest birthday yet with this blinged out koozie.

You Need:

Adhere the foam letters to the koozie, use hot glue to cover the rest of the koozie in plastic rhinestones. We used gold and yellow rhinestone to match the sparkling gold color of our favorite hoppy beers.

#WeeklyWrapUp: Birthday Beer Koozies

What’s the best way someone has raised a birthday beer to you? Tell us about it in the comments below!

5 Easy Ways to Dress Up a Brown Bag Lunch

9.09.2016

It’s back to school time again and that means moms and dads all over the globe are packing up lunches for their little ones. If you’re in the market for new and clever ways to make lunchtime more fun, we’ve got 5 totally awesome and easy ideas. Dressing up a plain brown bag lunch is sure to make you a lunchtime hero. The best part? Each of these brown bag hacks takes less that 5 minute and requires 3 or fewer supplies to bring it to life.

Sparkle &  Shine

This confetti dipped bag will make the lunchroom feel like a party!

You need:

  • Glue Stick
  • Shiny Confetti

Step 1: Rub the glue stick over the bottom of the bag (or wherever you want the confetti to stick.)

Step 2: Cover the glue with confetti, let dry overnight.

5 EASY WAYS TO DRESS UP A BROWN BAG LUNCH

Mustachioed Man

Add an adhesive mustache to make lunchtime a dapper affair.

You need:

  • Black Marker
  • Mustache sticker or adhesive costume mustache  (we recommend the adhesive mustaches, their texture makes them super fun!)

Step 1: Draw a dapper looking gentleman with a black marker.

Step 2: Add the adhesive mustache or mustache sticker.

5 EASY WAYS TO DRESS UP A BROWN BAG LUNCH

Three-Eyed Monster

A googly-eyed friend for your little monster.

You need:

Step 1: Draw and color in a monster.

Step 2: Add self-adhesive googly eyes.

5 EASY WAYS TO DRESS UP A BROWN BAG LUNCH

Oink Oink

Paper farm animal fun for your little piggie.

You need:

  • Black Marker
  • Pink Paper
  • Glue Stick

Step 1: Cut the shapes of the snout, ears and tail from the pink paper.

Step 2: Glue the snout on the front, ears on the sides and tail on the back of the bag.

Step 3: Draw in the details of the pig with the black marker (nostrils, inside of ears, mouth and eyes.)

5 EASY WAYS TO DRESS UP A BROWN BAG LUNCH

Top Secret Message

Use mini notes to pass them a little lunchtime love.

You need:

Step 1: Tape down the sides and bottom edge of the envelope (leave the top flap side un-taped.)

Step 2: Write a special note for your little one inside the card and place it in the envelope.

Step 3: Seal the envelope and tell them no peeking until lunch time!

v

Have more ideas for ways to dress up a brown paper bag or more ideas about how to make lunchtime more fun? Let us know about them in the comments below!